


What's In a Name

by Karyra



Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Campfire talks, family ties are important even if you're not related
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-20
Updated: 2015-10-20
Packaged: 2018-04-27 07:55:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5040256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Karyra/pseuds/Karyra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nanii The Grey Warden. Nanii the Circle Mage Elf. Nanii has always felt like she's had half of a name and even the one she's given herself doesn't sit right. A fireside chat while waiting for Darkspawn fixes that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What's In a Name

Nanii The Grey Warden. Nanii the Circle Mage Elf. Even as she stared into the fire she couldn’t find the titles acceptable. They missed the beat of a last name, and as much as she wanted to give herself one, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. It was like giving herself a nickname, she figured. It wouldn’t fit the real her, nor would it fit what others thought of her. However, with the Blight happening she found herself wishing she had more of a name to give to the nobles who asked who she was when she saved them on the road.

Her agitation wasn’t unnoticed by Alistair Therin. Nanii stuffed down how his name sounded. It sounded like he was a whole person, and she hated it.

“The fire isn’t infected with the blight is it?” he asked, his easy sarcasm a mask for his genuine concern.

“N-no. I just-” Nanii began to say. “How do you know your last name?”

“Because that’s what Teagan called me?”

“No, I mean, how do you know that’s your parent’s real last name? I mean,” Nanii broke off and folded her hands so she could rest her head on them. Her leg jumped in anxiety as she thought about it. “It’s nothing, we shouldn’t wake the others.”

“You know Ogrhen’s snoring will drown us out,” Alitair said, and leaned back.

Nanii knew this posture too well. It was known as the ‘I don’t believe you, but I’m not rude enough to just say it out loud yet’ posture, and Nanii also knew it would be shortly followed by him saying, “I don’t believe you.”

Nanii really hoped that he never went into politics. Last time the two had played cards, she managed to win the armor right off of him. She had paid for the armor, of course, so techinically it was always her armor, but the point was he was now broke and she was in charge of his finances for the week. The man could probably cause a war within five minutes.

“It’s just... what Irving said as we left. ‘I wish we had given you a last name.’ Maker, I-”

“Last names aren’t important, Nanii.”

“You’ve had one your whole life, so you wouldn’t know what it’s like.”

“Well, I know it’s not my real name.”

“And how do you know this, Mister ‘My Sister Kicked me out of her House’?” Nanii shifted to lean in now, trying to see if she could embarrass Alistair before he embarrassed her.

“I have never met another Therin in my whole life, Nanii, and I I’ve never met and elf named Nanii either.”

Nanii stood up very quickly and started towards her tent. “You’ve got the watch now so keep an eye out for Darkspawn-”

“I knew it! Your name isn’t that silly thing! Ah, Zevran owes me ten gold now,” Alistair said smugly.

“Don’t tell anyone, okay? It’s just... my name isn’t... ‘elfy’ sounding. It’s stupid and I’d prefer if you didn’t tell anyone what you know...”

“Then what is it?”

Nanii shifted uncomfortably before muttering, “Nalandra...”

“I didn’t quiiiteee hear that.”

“Nalandra.”

Alistair stared at her for a long time before saying, “I’ve never heard a more beautiful name.”

“It’s not very elfy though... it’s just a human name. I figured I’d try and make it more...” Nanii -also known as Nalandra- said as she gestured with her hands.

“I bet it’s because you don’t look that much like an elf,” Alistair offered, “I’d bet you’re half-elf. Though... you’ve got the ears. The pointy ear thing is definetly there.”

“And you’ve met a half elf?”

“I did visit the Alienage from time to time...” Alistair said, folding his arms and starting to pout.

“Yeah well, I can’t tell you whether you’re right or wrong there,” Nanii said as she went to sit down again. “I was ditched on the bridge to the Ferelden Circle. All I had a a first name and that was it. I suppose, though, that since you guys keep calling me ‘Warden’, I might as well make my last name that.”

“I doubt anyone but Wynne or I know that you have an actual first name.” Alistair joked.

“I don’t doubt it,” Nanii smiled.

“Buuuut,” Alistair said, dragging out the word as much as possible. “If it bothers you that much you can take my last name.”

“Alistair I’m in a relationship with Zevran. You know this. From what Wynne said, everyone knows this.”

“What? No. I meant it as in-” Alistair blushed and stammered out, “like comrades. A singular name to let us be bound in honour and all that stuff. I didn’t mean- Maker! I’m going to go to sleep watch for Darkspawn-”

“Naladra Therin,” Nanii tested out. “Nanii Therin.” The words rolled on her tounge comfortably, despite it being a new concept. “I like it. It sounds... whole.”

“It also sounds like we’re married.” Alistair said, smiling.

“Or that we’re related. Maybe we could say we’re half-brother and half-sister,” Nanii suggested. “I mean we make quite a pair don’t we? A royal bastard and an apostate mage.”

Nanii was glad she’d turned down Alistair, because this, this moment was what she needed. A shoulder for support and someone who was like a brother to her. Zevran was supportive, but somehow she didn’t want to see Alistair like that.

“Yeah, we do,” Alistair replied.

For the first time since she’d changed her name, Nanii felt that it was whole again. A whole name for a whole person.

Nanii Therin. Grey Warden, Apostate Mage, and Hero of the Gray.

 

It was about ten years later that Nanii Therin discovered that she and Alistair were related due to an offhand comment, a series of strange events, and the strange clinginess of the First Enchanter. Needless to say, Nanii was grateful to have dodged the bullet by rejecting Alistair’s first advances.


End file.
